Firing mechanism for multiple barrel firearms



Jan. 19, 1965 G. MITTELSTEADT 3,165,851

FIRING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE BARREL FIREARMS Filed ma 13. 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GAE/v1. M/m-z 575/107 K ffizmy m United States Patent 3,165,851 FIRING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE BARREL FIREARMS Glen L. Mittelsteadt, Waseca, Minn assignor to Herters Inc, Waseca, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota Filed May 13, 1963, Ser. No. 279,756

(Claims. (@l. 42-42) This invention relates to multi-barrel firearms such as over and under and double-barrel shotguns and the like, where shots are successively fired from the several barrels through operation of spring-loaded hammers for each barrel with related trigger and trip mechanisms. In such firearms separate retaining elements, tripping mechanism and triggers are .usually required for each of the barrels producing complications 'in the mechanism and in many instances making it possible to inadvertently and undesirably fire both barrels at the same time;

It is the main object of my invention to provide in such firearms a unitary and common tripping mechanism for controlling and releasing the spring-loaded hammers for the two or more barrels whereby by'successive pulling FIG. 3 is a similar elevational view with similar parts being broken away showing the related parts after the second or upper barrel has been fired;

of a single trigger member projectiles in the two or more I barrels may be successively fired in predetermined order.

My invention is readily applicable to a number of present conventional firing mechanisms utilized in over and under and double-barrel shotguns and the like-which in 7 FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the broken line 44 of FIG. 3 showing the relation of my unitary tripping mechanism, its anchorage and the position of both hammers when the gunhas been fired twice;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section showing the lower bottom portion of the gun'taken along the broken line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken along the line 6-6 p of FI 3; I

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 3; and v FIG. 8 is an exploded perspectiveview showing the cocking mechanism, hammers, hammer-retaining pawls V and actuating springs of my improved structure.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated; an over and under shotgun for the mostpart of conventional part is illustrated comprising an elongated forward" barrel portion B comprising an upper barrel B-1 and a lower barrel B'2 disposed in parallel over and under relation in conventional manner. The elongated forward barrel portion of the gun B is pivotally 4 connected'for breaking of the gun and subsequent cocking of the hammers as well as operation of the ejectors in anism controlled by one trigger onlywhich in close co operation with the retaining pawls for the hammers and the hammers and firing pins of conventional mechanisms enables successive firing. of the several barrels in predetermined order with complete safeguard for simultaneous firing and which eliminates a large number of parts in the tripping and trigger mechanisms. This commontripping element for the two pawls of the two hammers is conventional manner on large pivots ortrunnions Of'diswith an u'ndercut'forwardly extending lower portionX 12 for registration with the primary caps of shells introselectively positioned in two difierent positions during operation and after cocking by the influence'of cooperate 7 ing spring means and the retractive movement of a longer abutment element on one of the hammers (first-to be fired) which in the cooking of that hammer retracts the unitary tripping element to a first position with reference to the common trigger member. I

My invention while well suited as a replacement .or attachment for the firing mechanism of certain present firing mechanisms of double-barreled or'over. and under duced into. the breech ends of the brarels B1 and 13-2.

This section Y of the gun also includes a housing H in ternally forming a chamber C wherein the firing mecha- 'nlsm including hammers, cocking arms, hamr'neractuat:

of the gun stock S.

As shown, the forward extremity of stock S is externally tapered interfitting withj agsocket 1'3 internally shotguns is particularly adapted in the exemplary form disclosed herein as a complete firing mechanism. operated by one trigger only for an over and under shotgun.

It is a further object of my invention to provide in firing mechanism of the class described a common unitary tripping mechanism for the successive release 7 of the hammer-retaining pawls with additional provision for precise successive firing and a safetydevice for both hammers, utilizing a minimum number of parts. and mechanisms. J g

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following descrip-' tion made in connection with the accompanying draw-f 'meanssuch as the screwslfi,

formed in the rear end of housing H and being rigidly r aflixed thereto by a longitudinal screw 14 which is threaded into a heavy collar 15 afiixed in appropriate position near the rear extremity of the housingH, by suitable Referring again to the breech portion Y of the 'gun and to the two firing pins .11 for the upper and lower. barrels, it will be seen thatthe firing pins are inclined; relatively to the axis of the bores of-barrelsB-l and 13-2 to enable their outer striker heads 11a;to' be relatively closely spacedfor st'rikingby the'respective ham 7 mersL and U. Thesehamm'ers L and Uas will be seen irom' FlGs; l to 3 inclusive and FIG. 7 are pivotally mdunted on a common cross pivot 17, which;is affixed to the side portions of housing H and disposed in the 'lov'v'erportion of thechamber C of the housing below which engagesthe lower firing pin 11 in action is rahthe firing pin 11. for the lower barrel B2'. To conserve on space as clearly shown in FIG. '7, the hammer L a beted along its upper edge whereas the hammer U which strikes the upper firing pin is of L-shaped cross section, the upper and thicker portion thereof being received in the rabbeted portion of hammer L. It will also be noted that the hammer L has a rearwardly extending abutment and camming extremity L-4 which when the two hammers are cocked as shown in FIG. 1 extends rearwardly a short distance approximating slightly in excess of M; of an inch behind the rearmost surface of the hammer U when cocked. This set extremity L-4 has an important function in properly positioning a unitary trip member indicated as an entirety by the letter K later to be described in detail. The hammers U and L have depending bell crank arms U1 and L-l respectively which are notched at their lower portions at U-2 and L-2 respectively for locking engagement with retaining pawls P1 and P-2 respectively for the hammers U and L. The retaining pawls P-1 and P-2 as seen in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive and FIG. 5 are independent levers which however may be and preferably are pivoted on a common transverse pivot pin 18 aflixed to the respective side portions of housing H. The arrangement of the pivot 18 and small abutments 19 (see FIG. 1) is such that the downward movement of the longer and rear ends of the pawls is limited to a position where the extremities thereof are in spaced relation above the bottom of housing H and above the working upper side of trigger element T, said trigger element being common to both firing mechanisms. The pawls P-1 and 39-2 are urged towards clockwise extreme position by leaf springs 20 identical for both pawls (see FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive). The pawls at their forward ends have teeth adapted to engage with the notches U-2 and L-Z in the underside of the bell crank arms U-l and L-l of the two hammers.

The hammers are cocked by the swinging breaking of the gun upon trunnion O in conventional manner through the medium of an actuating arm 21 which is rigidly aflixed to the bottom portion of the barrel section B having an obliquely angled camming surface 21a which in conventional manner engages a slide bar 22 mounted in a suitable guideway and having its rear end enlarged at 22a for abutment and engagement with a pair of cocking arms 23 constituting small'levers with heads 23a which cam against camming surfaces U-3 and L-3 imposed upon the forward edges of the hammers U and L above the pivot pin 17. Thus, when the gun is broken and angled to the position shown in FIG. 1, the slide bar 22 will be moved rearwardly by its abutment against the inclined face 21a moving rearwardly and in turn swinging the cocking levers 23 upward to the positions shown in FIG. 1 and thereby swinging the hammers U and L clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 to the cocked operative positions shown in FIG. 1.

The gun is also equipped with the conventional type of ejectors E which are cam actuated by swingably breaking the gun to the position shown in FIG. 1 for expelling the consumed shells. The gun also'has the horizontally disposed release and locking lever R which is pivoted on a horizontal pivot (not shown) in the conventional manner for unlocking the stock portions and barrel portions of the gun for breaking and for subsequently when pushed against spring action returning the parts to the normal .closed position with the breach mechanism opposed to the rear ends of the two barrels.

Referring again to the dual hammers U and L and their associated mechanism, a double leaf spring 24 is provided for actuating each hammer having one of its curled forward ends 24a connected with a common anchoring pin 25 and having its opposing. curved or coiled end 2412 pivotally connected with a short operating link26, one for eachhammer, which when the appropriate spring 24 is released by release of the hammer proper, pulls upwardly on the appropriate bell crank arm U4. and L-1 of the respective hammers to very rapidly and power:

43. fully swing the hammer forwardly to abut or strike the upper firing pin 11a.

The trigger T is provided with upper horizontal abutment body T-l for actuating the tripping mechanism later to be described and is pivoted near its forward extremity to the bottom of housing H by pin T-2.

The key feature of my invention is the discovery of a unitary and preferably integral trip member indicated as an entirety by the letter K with its floating mounting, all of which closely cooperates with the retaining pawls P-ll and P-Z, the hammers U and L and the single trigger member T to obtain and assure successive release and firing of the two hammers U and L upon successive pulls upon the common trigger member T. Thismemher or mechanism while capable of being made in one piece as a unitary structure includes several very important functional elements thereon. The unitary, angled trip member K at its central portion is recessed to accommodatethe double leaf springs at their rearward portions as well as the upper portions of the retaining pawls P l and P-2 for the hammers. It may be conveniently formed (but not necessarily) from an integral angled rigid strip of metal having a substantially straight and planar intermediate portion 27, terminating at its forward end in a reinforced and folded somewhat inclined abutment portion or element 27:: which is adapted to be engaged by the projection L-4 of the hammer L for the lower barrel in its retracted cocked position as shown in FIG. 1. Extending downward from the intermediate portion 27 of member K is a leg 28 disposed in slight spaced relation to the rear extremities of pawls P-1 and P-2. Leg 2% at its lower end carries rigidly a pair of trip feet 29a and 2% respectively. Foot 29a projects forwardly a short distance from its attached leg 28 and foot 2% projects some distance forwardly of foot 29a and is disposed atone side thereof for engagement with thepa wl P-2 which overlies the same in its normal cocked position.

The member K is fioatingly mounted upon two pins 30 and 31, pin 30 being fixedto the upper portion of housing and passing through a slot 27a. in the intermediate portion of the member K. Intermediate portion 27 is urged downwardly by a coiled spring 30a which applies pressure against element 27 which in turn abuts an enlarged head 30b on the lower extremity of pin 30.

Pin 31 extendslongitudinally of the stock member into the chamber C and is slidably held as shown in the heavy collar 15. Itpasses through the'leg 28 of the trip member having an enlarged head 3111. A coiled spring 31b urges trip member K forwardly by its abutmentwith the rear of the leg 28. Thus, through the resilient actions of the springsfitla and "31bapplying pressures downwardly and forwardly respectively and in directions perpendicularly to one another, the overall trip mechanism or element K is always urged to its extreme downwardand forward positions.

As a safety device for both barrels 13-1 and B-2 1 the gains convenfiohal safety slide plate sz-i's'pr'evnea having slidable relation with the upper forward portion of the stock C and carrying a depending plate 32a terminating at its lower end in an abutment arm 32bwhich is adapted when plate 32 is slid rearwardly to be disposed directly above and abut an upstanding arm 33 carried by the body T-l of the trigger. To properly retain the safety devicein forward inoperative position and in rearward, operative position, a conventional device such as a leaf spring 34 is employed extending below and at one side of the depending plate 32a and affixed as shown by a screw 35. A cross pin 32c engages belowa slot 36 to prevent upward displacement of the safety mechanism. The leaf spring 34 is bent downwardly around the pin 32d and then extends longitudinally of the stock and has an indentation 34a for engagement with a small pin 32c carried by the plate 32 and at its terminal and rearward portionhas a second indentation 34b for engagement with sociated firing pin 11a which fires a cartridge inthe low- 'ha'mmer"U, thereby positioning thete'ntireatripimerhberK,

' spring-315011 longitudinal pin'fil', Thus,1the 'enti V i-ping mechanism K- has moved forwardly'to interpose'the 6 f same.

a pin 320 when the safety is slid rearwardly to operative .hammer violently forward in counterclockwise relation position. as shown in FIG. 2 and the hammer strikesits related Operation firing pin 12 to fire the cartridge in the upper barrel B-1 of the gun. After the secondary operation of the trig- 5 ger T, the related parts of the structurewill be in the position shown in FIG. "3 of the drawings with the rearward ends of pawlsP-l and P-2 still remaining in predetermined spaced relations because of their leaf springs 20 to the feet 2% and 29b of the trip member.

From the foregoing description, it will be'apparent that with my improved and simplified successive pawl-tripping mechanism embodying the preferably unitary trip member K with its several important functioning ele'- ments and relationship with its floating mounting and the 5 conventional hammers of an over and under or double- 'barreled gun, that cartridges in'the two barrels-may be successively fired by successive pulling upon a; single trigger member T. Thecombinative device while highly simplifiedis fool-proof and his impossible to fire both of the barrels simultaneously. Little change is needed in conventional structure for over and under shotguns and the like insofar as breech mechanism, hammermechanism, 'spring mechanism and release pawls are concerned. 1 1 I It will, of course, be understood that various changes maybe made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departingfrom the scope of my'invention. 4 I e What is claimedisz r g g LInfirear'ms of the type havinga pair of adjacent parallel barrels, Y a. pair of spring-actuated hammers, one for each of said When the gun is swingably broken in conventional manner to the position shown in FIG. 1, the parts swinging upon the heavy trunnions O, the ejectors in conventional manner retracted by snap action expelling the shells of cartridges previously fired and at the same time as previously recited, the actuating arm 21 of the cooking mechanism produces a rearward camming action on the slide bar 22 which in turn through its rear head 22a forcibly and swingably retracts the pair of cocking arms 23, their upper abutment elements 23a forcing the two hamrners U and L to swing clockwise into the cocked position shown in FIG. 1 and when thus swung, the two pawls P-1 and P-Z at their forward extremities engaging the retaining notches U-2 and L-Zlofthe two hammers U and L. The cocking of said hammers due to the relationship and mounting of the doubled heavy coiled springs 24 compress these springs to the positions shown in FIG. 1 with both hammers cocked.

The foregoing operation and relation of parts is common and conventional to some of the present firing mechanisms of the over and under shotguns. 7

When the hammers U and L are both in the cocked position, the rear extension extremity L-4 which I have provided is disposed backwardly about a little over /8 of an inch from the rear position of the hammer. U. This extension L-4 abuts against the abutment forward portion 27 of trip member K and pushes it back to that. extent from its normal forward position, trip' member K I sliding at its central portion 26 in the slot 2 6a along the r barrels depending heavy pm 34). At SllChtlIl'lG and as shown i 1 1 g ammer-cocking mechanism and apair of trrppable In FIG. 1, the foremost trip arm 29a secured to the bot 35 hammepretaining elements o fi h h tom of leg 28 of the trip member underlies the right hand pawl P-2 and is of a width so that it will not underlythe pawl P-1 which retains and'releases' the hammer: U for the upper barrel. I

With the safety device off, in the position shown i11 FIG. 1, when the trigger is first pulled, its body T-l raises the two tripping feet simultaneously and trip foot 2% engages and raises'therear' end of pawl P-Z thereby releasing the pawls forward tooth from engagement with the notch L-Z in the underside of thehammer. The hammer for the lower barrel is immediately impelled with great force in counterclockwise" direction striking its asand'provided with trip portions disposed in side-by side relation, ,L I the novel unitary tripping mechanism for successively tripping said retaining elements after cocking of said" hammer through successive actuations of a single" trigger comprising, 1 V j I p a ,bodyinternally mounted withinthe firearmfan d' disposed rearwardly of the twohammers'and also adjaw, cent the trip portions-ofsaid hamrner-retainingele-. ments, said; body; being shiftably mounted for movementigfrom i ,aforward position slightly re'arwardlyto a predeter er barrel. The position of the tWo hammers and associe m first Operative position and also iforj'limittedfl ated mechanisms after firing of the lower'barrel' is shown :1 and E Y W y g in FIG. 2. Here the hammer'U for the upperbarrelB-d 5 fl i 1 rwardly n 91? is still in the cocked position with the hammer L in the I g sald .lw fired position andhaving its trip-determining abutment i mt element conngctgflwlthrsald body L-4 spaced a substantial distance forwardly of'the abut- 1 3 d the: paths o izockmgi.trayekofjhe merit element 27'of-the;trip mechanism or member K, rear? ex.tre-xmnesgf Wh t f f said abutment element- 27'now (in FIG. 2)- ispositioned 455' 35 9 d hammqshavmg, .35 fear'prolecnpncxtendmg I as urged by the spring 31bagainst the rear-portion of f f ili y f p i i f a u men e t ra ,ing isaid body in 'hen the hammers 0 w, a e tremitya-of s'aid-seco a i i mj v huuna zw isa determining afteri said first ham erji forwardly by a little over M3 .ofyaninchonthere'ab'outs from the original positio'rrrwhen both hammers a'rjecocked (FIG. 1). This;secondarylposition of-{the trip'mechm j nisinjK is determined by 'said abutment-of. the member a 2.7 of the trip member in coordinationrwith' a resilierfi' fect of the spring-30a (on dependingnpin 319) and (in common plane ,A onefbeing longer "than; the V orhe or underlying" the trip portion fof one: of said g V s I V 'hammer-retaining'felementswhen said body; isrpo's When thetrigger T is pulled again with the parts in the. f If 9 a utm mwi t 'l g b n e ltl positions shownin FIGFZ, the upward movementsof the7 g dffi amm r' w Wa 0 PQ fi n; E body T- 1' again raises the trip member" K andj with it the 1 f d hOIl fQ d trip: f being I IQP foot 29a which then u nd erliesthesaidpawl l li -the Y i a po it n t n e' i 1 het p rti tripping the secondpawliand releasing its'toothfronren the; ecimd :hammefiretainingt ,eleme n when said gagement with thejnotchgl-lz" in'; the 1" wer. armgthereof body is positioned inr the -recited. fo jfi d whereby.'the appropriate double leaf sp rigidforce's the'if v I I i i i l shorter trip foot 2% belowltlie lertirandpawra which operateson the hammer'U' to reta in and releaseyth ei';

a common trigger member having a portion underlying said feet and upwardly movable to upwardly move said body when the trigger is pulled.

2. In firearms of the type having a pair of barrels disposed in close parallel relation,

the combination with the two spring-actuated hammers and trippable hammer-retaining elements for said barrels, said retaining elements having trip portions disposed in side-by-side relation,

of a unitary tripping mechanism for successively trip ping said retaining elements through successive actuations of a single trigger comprising,

a body internally mounted within the firearm and disposed rearwardly of the two hammers and also adjacent the trip portions of said hammer-retaining elements,

said body being shiftably mounted for movement from a forward position slightly rearwardly to a predetermined, first-operative position,

a forward abutment element connected with said body and disposed in the paths of cocking travel of the rear extremities of both of said hammers,

one of said hammers having a rear projection extending slightly rearwardly of the rear of the other hammer in position to engage said abutment element for retracting said body into said rear or first-operative position when the hammers are cocked,

means for urging said body forwardly,

the rear extremity of said second hammer when cocked determining after said first hammer is fired, the forward position of said body,

a pair of trip elements secured to said body and disposed in close relation to the trip portions of said hammer-retaining elements,

a common trigger member having operating engagement with both of said trip elements,

one of said trip elements being positioned for operative connection with one of said trippable retaining elements when said trip body is in the rearward or first operative position and at said time being nonengageable with the other trippable retaining element, the other of said trip elements being disposed for operative connection with said other trippable 7 element when said mechanism is in the recited forward position, a said body being in the form of an angulated strip having an upper forwardly extending portion terminating in a rigidly carried abutment element for engagement by the rear portions of said hammers and having an upwardly extending leg dependingfrom said upper portion andterminating at its lower end in rigidly secured, forwardly extending trip feet; 3. -In firearms having at least a pair of barrels disposed in parallel adjacent relation and having breech mechanism and cocking-mechanism, a spring loade'clharnmer and a-firing pin for" each b a'rrel and a 'rfetaining andrelease pawl for each hammer, said pawls being dispo'sed in 'side by-sidefi'elation arid terminating-earnerres; ends in trip-engaging fingersdisposed in alignment when the' hammers are cooked,

the novel, successive trippingfmechanism comprising a 1 unitary member floatingly' mounted,

meansifor urging said member-both downwardly and forwardly,

' ;said member having an' abutment elementiat: its forward end'disposed just behind and iri the path of travel of the rear extremity of one of said hammers when cooked,

the abutment of said rear extremities determining with said-urging means the initial positioning 'ofisaid uni-. tary trip member when both hammers area; cocked position, I a.

sai'dtrip member having at th'ebase thereof a-paiir of: forwardly extending tripping feet,'on'e beingslightly longer-thanthe other forunderlying the ltripi-extr'em ity of the hammer-retaining pawl first to be released for firing,

the abutment of said longer hammer extremity with said abutment of said trip member positioning, said shorter tripping foot behind andnot under the retaining pawl of the second hammers,

and a common trigger member underlying said trip feet and having an upper abutment body elevatable to engage and raise said trip member each time said trigger is pulled.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said unitary member is of angled rigid strip formation and includes a forwardly extending portion disposed above said trip-engaging fingers and terminating forwardly in said hammer-abutment element, and

comprises also a depending leg rigidly connected with the rear of said forwardly extending portion, and terminates at its lower end in said rigidly attached, forwardly extending tripping feet,

said member being fioatingly mounted on a pair of perpendicularly related pins affixed internally to the firearm, 1

one of which projects downwardly through a longitudinal slot in said forwardly extending portion of said body, and

the other of which extends forwardly through a longitudinal slot in the depending leg of said body,

and a pair of coil springs cooperating with said pins and body-to urge said body both forwardly and downwardly.

5. In firearms of the type having a pair of barrels disposed in close parallel relation,

the combination with the two spring-actuated hammers and trippable hammer-retaining elements for said barrels, said retaining elements having trip portions disposed in side-by-side relation,

of a unitary tripping mechanism for successively tripping said retaining elements through successive .actuations of a single trigger comprising,

a body internally mounted within the firearm and disposed rearwardly of the two hammers and also adjacent the trip portions of said hammer-retaining elements,

said body being shiftably mounted for movement from .means forur'ging said body'forwardly,

the rear extremity of said second hammer when cocked d rmin aft r. saidfirst. ha nqi is th fQ ward position' of said body; I

a pair of trip elements secured to; said body and disposed in close relatipnfto the trip portions of said L hammer-retaining elements,

' ommon trigger'lmerr'ib eiihaving operating engagement with .bothpfsaid trip elements,

tive connection-With one of said trippable? retaining elements when said trip'body is; in the rearward or first operative'position and 'at said time, beingun'onengageable with the other trippable, retaining element, and the other of said trip elementsbeingdis- .posed for operative connection with said other trip H forward po sition,. fu

ments constituting tooth en'gaging pawlsihaving rear jone ofesaidtripjelements being positioned 'forflperapable element'when said mechanism isin the recited rther 'cliaracterizedby saidgharnmer-retain 'g j -j'ele-f each adjacent one of the trip elements secured to said body,

one of said trip elements in the rearward, first-operative position of said body being disposed out of contact relation with its associated pawl-trip portion when 5 the trigger is first actuated and in the forward positioning of said body, being positioned to engage and trip the said pawl when the trigger is actuated after firing of the first hammer,

said body being also mounted for limited up and down 10 movement,

said trigger when actuated engaging the lower part of said body to slightly raise the same,

the said trip elements normally underlying the positioning of the trip arms of said hammer-retaining 15 pawls,

and being of different lengths and proportions so that in the rearmost first operative position of said body the trip element for controlling firing .of the first barrel will engage and trip the associated retaining pawl, and simultaneously the trip element for the second barrel will miss its associated pawl trip arm while in the forward or second operative position of said body the second trip element will engage and trip its associated pawl arm for controlling firing of the second barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wareharn Sept. 1, 1936 V 

1. IN FIREARMS OF THE TYPE HAVING A PAIR OF ADJACENT PARALLEL BARRELS, A PAIR OF SPRING-ACTUATED HAMMERS, ONE FOR EACH OF SAID BARRELS, HAMMER-COOKING MECHANISM AND A PAIR OF TRIPPABLE HAMMER-RETAINING ELEMENTS, ONE FOR EACH HAMMER AND PROVIDED WITH TRIP PORTIONS DISPOSED IN SIDE-BYSIDE RELATION, THE NOVEL UNITARY TRIPPING MECHANISM FOR SUCCESSIVELY TRIPPING SAID RETAINING ELEMENTS AFTER COCKING OF SAID HAMMER THROUGH SUCCESSIVE ACTUATIONS OF A SINGLE TRIGGER COMPRISING, A BODY INTERNALLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE FIREARM AND DISPOSED REARWARDLY OF THE TWO HAMMERS AND ALSO ADJACENT THE TRIP PORTIONS OF SAID HAMMER-RETAINING ELEMENTS, SAID BODY BEING SHIFTABLY MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT FROM A FORWARD POSITION SLIGHTLY REARWARDLY TO A PREDETERMINED FIRST OPERATIVE POSITION, AND ALSO FOR LIMITED UP AND DOWN MOVEMENT, MEANS FOR URGING SAID BODY FORWARDLY AND FOR ALSO URGING SAID BODY DOWNWARDLY, A FORWARD ABUTMENT ELEMENT CONNECTED WITH SAID BODY AND DISPOSED IN THE PATHS OF COCKING TRAVEL OF THE REAR EXTREMITIES OF BOTH THE SAID HAMMERS, ONE OF SAID HAMMERS HAVING A REAR PROJECTION EXTENDING SLIGHTLY REARWARDLY OF THE REAR OF THE OTHER HAMMER IN POSITION TO ENGAGE SAID ABUTMENT ELEMENT FOR RETRACTING SAID BODY INTO SAID REAR OR FIRST-OPERATIVE POSITION WHEN THE HAMMERS ARE COCKED, THE REAR EXTERMITY OF SAID SECOND HAMMER, IN COCKED POSITION, BY ABUTMENT WITH SAID ABUTMENT ELEMENT DETERMINING AFTER SAID FIRST HAMMER IS FIRED, THE FORWARD POSITION OF SAID BODY, A PAIR OF FORWARDLY PROJECTING TRIP FEET SECURED TO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID BODY AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY (IN A COMMON PLANE), ONE BEING LONGER THAN THE OTHER FOR UNDERLYING THE TRIP PORTION OF ONE OF SAID HAMMER-RETAINING ELEMENTS WHEN SAID BODY IS POSITIONED BY ABUTMENT WITH THE LONGER ABUTMENT ELEMENT OF SAID FIRST HAMMER IN THE REARMOST POSITION, THE SECOND AND SHORTER OF SAID TRIP FEET BEING PROPORTIONED AND POSITIONED TO UNDERLIE THE TRIP PORTION OF THE SECOND HAMMER-RETAINING ELEMENT WHEN SAID BODY IS POSITIONED IN THE RECITED FORWARD POSITION AFTER THE FIRST HAMMER HAS BEEN FIRED, AND A COMMON TRIGGER MEMBER HAVING A PORTION UNDERLYING SAID FEET AND UPWARDLY MOVABLE TO UPWARDLY MOVE SAID BODY WHEN THE TRIGGER IS PULLED. 